<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<xbrl
  xmlns="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance"
  xmlns:alb="http://albemarle.com/20260902"
  xmlns:dei="http://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025"
  xmlns:link="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/linkbase"
  xmlns:us-gaap="http://fasb.org/us-gaap/2025"
  xmlns:xbrldi="http://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldi"
  xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">
    <link:schemaRef xlink:href="alb-20260902.xsd" xlink:type="simple"/>
    <context id="c20260902to20260902">
        <entity>
            <identifier scheme="http://www.sec.gov/CIK">0000915913</identifier>
        </entity>
        <period>
            <startDate>2026-09-02</startDate>
            <endDate>2026-09-02</endDate>
        </period>
    </context>
    <context id="c20260902to20260902_StatementClassOfStockAxis_DepositarySharesEachRepresentingA120thInterestInAShareOf725SeriesAMandatoryConvertiblePreferredStockMember">
        <entity>
            <identifier scheme="http://www.sec.gov/CIK">0000915913</identifier>
            <segment>
                <xbrldi:explicitMember dimension="us-gaap:StatementClassOfStockAxis">alb:DepositarySharesEachRepresentingA120thInterestInAShareOf725SeriesAMandatoryConvertiblePreferredStockMember</xbrldi:explicitMember>
            </segment>
        </entity>
        <period>
            <startDate>2026-09-02</startDate>
            <endDate>2026-09-02</endDate>
        </period>
    </context>
    <context id="c20260902to20260902_StatementClassOfStockAxis_CommonStockMember">
        <entity>
            <identifier scheme="http://www.sec.gov/CIK">0000915913</identifier>
            <segment>
                <xbrldi:explicitMember dimension="us-gaap:StatementClassOfStockAxis">us-gaap:CommonStockMember</xbrldi:explicitMember>
            </segment>
        </entity>
        <period>
            <startDate>2026-09-02</startDate>
            <endDate>2026-09-02</endDate>
        </period>
    </context>
    <dei:AmendmentFlag
      contextRef="c20260902to20260902"
      id="Fact_3b9f249e67c84c4ab876602b7e402855">false</dei:AmendmentFlag>
    <dei:EntityCentralIndexKey
      contextRef="c20260902to20260902"
      id="Fact_3fd5f849d1784cbda92f6760145bfc40">0000915913</dei:EntityCentralIndexKey>
    <dei:DocumentType
      contextRef="c20260902to20260902"
      id="Fact_94dfa9de746542159f76317faa64e635">8-K</dei:DocumentType>
    <dei:DocumentPeriodEndDate
      contextRef="c20260902to20260902"
      id="Fact_a94efdbcb3a5432b8578f30c80bf6edd">2026-09-02</dei:DocumentPeriodEndDate>
    <dei:EntityRegistrantName
      contextRef="c20260902to20260902"
      id="Fact_c7437033bc634927855839918494b0e4">ALBEMARLE CORPORATION</dei:EntityRegistrantName>
    <dei:EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode
      contextRef="c20260902to20260902"
      id="Fact_397a2921ad9e46d2888b613c87cb6d42">VA</dei:EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode>
    <dei:EntityFileNumber
      contextRef="c20260902to20260902"
      id="Fact_3f302141181a437fb79c6b3a99fac071">001-12658</dei:EntityFileNumber>
    <dei:EntityTaxIdentificationNumber
      contextRef="c20260902to20260902"
      id="Fact_4d47aeac7303478fa5728cfb4a6f0a38">54-1692118</dei:EntityTaxIdentificationNumber>
    <dei:EntityAddressAddressLine1
      contextRef="c20260902to20260902"
      id="Fact_a38cee58538443f39bbf2e55762eec13">4250 Congress Street</dei:EntityAddressAddressLine1>
    <dei:EntityAddressAddressLine2
      contextRef="c20260902to20260902"
      id="Fact_2c9beae0539f4c358405a7d72e64c695">Suite 900</dei:EntityAddressAddressLine2>
    <dei:EntityAddressCityOrTown
      contextRef="c20260902to20260902"
      id="Fact_d81e9cf6fea84ec7b1a8ae588bb0082e">Charlotte</dei:EntityAddressCityOrTown>
    <dei:EntityAddressStateOrProvince
      contextRef="c20260902to20260902"
      id="Fact_c44228a9f7804167bd840edf0329c9fe">NC</dei:EntityAddressStateOrProvince>
    <dei:EntityAddressPostalZipCode
      contextRef="c20260902to20260902"
      id="Fact_8322b91c63e9459e813a4a8dab7789f6">28209</dei:EntityAddressPostalZipCode>
    <dei:CityAreaCode
      contextRef="c20260902to20260902"
      id="Fact_d669e6131449446196b6ae7fc31ac84b">980</dei:CityAreaCode>
    <dei:LocalPhoneNumber
      contextRef="c20260902to20260902"
      id="Fact_45d916a248114d7d957a7dd86f3bf1d4">299-5700</dei:LocalPhoneNumber>
    <dei:WrittenCommunications
      contextRef="c20260902to20260902"
      id="Fact_85fb19ca08f64f779893242768f8e897">false</dei:WrittenCommunications>
    <dei:SolicitingMaterial
      contextRef="c20260902to20260902"
      id="Fact_e74354b46aae4d1596bef91f46ecae76">false</dei:SolicitingMaterial>
    <dei:PreCommencementTenderOffer
      contextRef="c20260902to20260902"
      id="Fact_1e58d0cb7c57441eabb7e05547c03c73">false</dei:PreCommencementTenderOffer>
    <dei:PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer
      contextRef="c20260902to20260902"
      id="Fact_6fc4ba53d7394660b81fead1c6258c1f">false</dei:PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer>
    <dei:Security12bTitle
      contextRef="c20260902to20260902_StatementClassOfStockAxis_CommonStockMember"
      id="Fact_bab7b8204d344dbfb89332d47df86505">Common stock, $0.01 par value</dei:Security12bTitle>
    <dei:TradingSymbol
      contextRef="c20260902to20260902_StatementClassOfStockAxis_CommonStockMember"
      id="Fact_09df045d15c14698b994de68cae0ed23">ALB</dei:TradingSymbol>
    <dei:SecurityExchangeName
      contextRef="c20260902to20260902_StatementClassOfStockAxis_CommonStockMember"
      id="Fact_d0eb34a6fd254af0b54b1af1cdd9ecb0">NYSE</dei:SecurityExchangeName>
    <dei:Security12bTitle
      contextRef="c20260902to20260902_StatementClassOfStockAxis_DepositarySharesEachRepresentingA120thInterestInAShareOf725SeriesAMandatoryConvertiblePreferredStockMember"
      id="Fact_f0d057dfa2b94667a16e584b42e518fb">Depositary Shares, each representing a 1/20th interest in a share of 7.25% Series A Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock</dei:Security12bTitle>
    <dei:TradingSymbol
      contextRef="c20260902to20260902_StatementClassOfStockAxis_DepositarySharesEachRepresentingA120thInterestInAShareOf725SeriesAMandatoryConvertiblePreferredStockMember"
      id="Fact_c55330f9d7f54c919a680f8b2144d4bd">ALB PR A</dei:TradingSymbol>
    <dei:SecurityExchangeName
      contextRef="c20260902to20260902_StatementClassOfStockAxis_DepositarySharesEachRepresentingA120thInterestInAShareOf725SeriesAMandatoryConvertiblePreferredStockMember"
      id="Fact_f9f26cc9b8e24f0d992120e26aff1a73">NYSE</dei:SecurityExchangeName>
    <dei:EntityEmergingGrowthCompany
      contextRef="c20260902to20260902"
      id="Fact_ab11a449db2d4d8b96e05036a696f697">false</dei:EntityEmergingGrowthCompany>
</xbrl>
